Top 7 Android Clipboard Apps for Faster Copy Pasting

10 Jan 2017

Copy-pasting must be like muscle memory for all of us. We do it multiple times every day on our computers and phones without thinking about it. But there are ways to make it faster and better, especially when we’ve to copy-paste different items and it makes sense to temporarily store copied stuff.

Though Android has evolved a lot, the copy paste function has remained rather basic. It doesn’t come with built-in clipboard manager and that makes the job of storing copied items a tad difficult.

So, here’s the list of seven cool Android apps to ease up the task of clipboard management and make things smoother for you.

1. Clipboard Actions

Clipboard Actions makes the job of copying and storing text seem so effortless. This app doesn’t just copy items in the clipboard, it immediately presents you with a range of actions.

Once you copy the item, the actions like share, search the web, map, translate, speak, etc, can be accessed fromthe notification drawer.

In case, you no longer require the current text, a tap on the delete button will do the task. If you need the clipboard, simply tap on the arrow icon and your clipboard will pop right up.

The setup is straightforward, you just need to toggle the clipboard service button to on. The app comes with a decent interface and presents you with user guides when you are using it for the first time. If you are on a lookout for a fast and reliable clipboard manager, you must give this app a try.

2. Easy Copy

The second app on our list is Easy Copy. This one is pretty amazing, as it brings up a pop-up tray, each time you copy anything.

You get the options for call, location, search, SMS, etc, and the pop-up tray can be completely customized through the settings.

The accessibility permission needs to be provided via the accessibility settings, or else the app won’t function at all.

A clipboard manager similar to Clipboard Actions, Easy Copy also comes with a diverse range of features that are easy to use.

The other features of the app include search, star, backup, restore, etc. If keeping things short and simple is your mantra, then this is the app for you.

3. Universal Copy

There are apps like Facebook or YouTube which do not let us copy text from it. Whether it’s a comment or a YouTube video description, we can’t get the native Android to copy these kinds of text, known as view-text. That’s when Universal Copy comes into the picture.

The USP of this app is that it lets you copy text from almost any app and even your home screen!

The setup is uncomplicated, all you need to so is activate Universal Copy and toggle the notification access to yes.

Once done, a persistent notification is seen in the notification drawer. To copy a line of text, tap on Activate Universal Copy, the copied text will be highlighted in blue. A tap on the copy icon and you are good to go.

The latest update gives the option to use certain keys as a trigger for the app to kick into action (alternative to tapping on the notification drawer).

The downside of this app is that it doesn’t come equipped with a clipboard manager and one has to install a secondary app to cover for it.

4. Clip Layer

Clip Layer can read almost any text from the screen, whether it’s an app like Facebook, YouTube or some PDFs, similar to Universal Copy.

For setup, it requires you to set Clip Layer as the assist app. Once that is enabled, a long-press on the home button brings up the task tray and the text snippets. To copy, select the required snippet and choose any of the tasks in the tray.

You would be able to view the selected text by tapping on the T icon on the upper right corner.

The only downside to this app is that you will have to sacrifice your Google Now on Tap. For the Pixel users out there, you will have to sacrifice the much loved Google Assistant.

If these are the tradeoffs that you are willing to make, you will find it more useful than Universal Copy.

5. Native clipboard

Native Clipboard is a nifty app when it comes to pasting saved clips in a text box. So, every time you tap on a text box, it will display all the saved text.

To copy, all you need to do is select the text and tap on copy. The selected text is then stored in the app’s clipboard. A tap on any text box (could be a search box or a form as well) brings up the floating window from where you can select the text of your choice.

For the app to kick into action you need to enable it in the accessibility settings. The number of taps required to bring up the floating window can be set as per your need.

The interface is immaculate, deleting and editing the items can be done with just a swipe. It also has the option of setting the font size and the number of items to keep in the clipboard.

Cool Tip: Native Clipboard also comes with a floating window so that you always have the app at your fingertips (literally!).

6. Clip Stack

Clip Stack, with a rating of 4.6 in the Play Store is a favorite among many users. It lets you copy and store tons of items.

The app can also be accessed through a floating bubble and it conveniently fits anywhere on the screen.

The stored text can be starred depending on the priority and if you want to view only the starred items, toggle the star icon and you are good to go.

Clip Stack comes with an easy-to-use interface; a right swipe deletes the item, tapping on an item would open it in edit mode, and a left swipe copies the item.

If you copy a million things on a daily basis, be it a snippet of a text or a link, this app is worth a try.

7. Copy Bubble

If you are looking for a simple and easy-to-access clipboard manager, then Copy Bubble is another app you could pick. It uses the built-in copy feature of Android and then stores the copied text in the floating bubble.

The bubble can be accessed anytime and it occupies a very small portion in the screen and sticks easily to the edge.

Tap the bubble and it would display the copied items along with the option to share, delete, etc. The settings can be readily accessed by a single tap on the home icon.

The size and transparency of the bubble can be set as per your choice, through settings.

The bubble displays the number of texts that it has stored in the clipboard. The features aren’t much, but it does a fine job as a clipboard manager.

Your Favorite?

So, no more fretting out on lost texts and links, let these amazing apps manage things for you. My favorite is Clip Layer, I am not much a Google Now on Tap user, the search bar is enough for me. What about you?

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Written By

An engineer turned tech writer, Namrata used to write software codes before turning to a career in tech- writing. She is passionate about travelling, food and reading about cool new stuff. Apart from that, she holds a bachelors degree in I.T and hails from Guwahati.